Crime & Safety

Man Strangles Sister, Then Turns on Witnesses, Police Say

Charles Spiva Jr. has a long history of previous arrests, including twice for domestic battery and once for battery, court records show.

A Joliet man who kicked and choked his sister and then turned on two people who tried to help her was arrested on a list of charges Wednesday night, Joliet police said.

Charles J. Spiva Jr., 50, of 311 S. Ottawa, Joliet, went to his sister's home at 216 Broadway at about 9 p.m. and found her packing to move, Cmdr. Al Roechner said. The two got into an argument and Spiva broke a television, he said.

The fight then became physical, with Spiva kicking the woman in the leg and strangling her, Roechner said.

A friend of the victim, who witnessed the fight, called her father to come help. However, that only made the situation worse and Spiva began to fight with him, Roechner said. When the friend called the police, Spiva began fighting with her, which is the scene police came upon when they arrived, he said.

Spiva also fought with police when they took him into custody, he said.

It's not clear what provoked the initial fight, Roechner said, or if it was related to his sister's decision to move. He refused to speak to police.

Spiva was charged with aggravated domestic battery, battery, assault, knowingly damaging property and resisting/obstructing a peace officer. He's being held in Will County jail in lieu of $45,000 bond.

According to Will County Circuit Clerk's Office records, Spiva has been arrested at least eight times previously, including twice for domestic battery and once for battery. There was an order of protection filed against him in 2003, records show, but it has since been dismissed.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.